Protective cover

ABSTRACT

A protective cover for a hearing aid has a hollow body of elastic, waterproof material, which has rings or beaded portions through which the hearing aid is received and which is stretchable to fit the rings around parts of the hearing aid. The cover also has domelike portions which are positioned over controls on the hearing aid for permitting the adjustment of the covered controls. Covers for behind-the-ear and eye-glass type hearing aids are disclosed.

United States Patent 1191 Guice PROTECTIVE COVER [76] Inventor: DanielW. Guice, PO. Box 102,

Salton City, Calif. 92274 22 Filed: Dec. 10, 1973 21 App]. No.1 423,181

[52] U.S. Cl. 179/107 R; 179/179 [51] Int. Cl H04r 25/00 [58] Field ofSearch 179/107 R, 107 E, 107 H,

[56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 496,167 7/1928Germany 179/184 1,187,2[9 3/1959 France l79/l79 [451 Sept. 16, 1975Primary ExaminerRalph D. Blakeslee Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John H.Crowe; Peter H. Firsht ABSTRACT A protective cover for a hearing aid hasa hollow body of elastic, waterproof material, which has rings or beadedportions through which the hearing aid is received and which isstretchable to fit the rings around parts of the hearing aid. The coveralso has domelike portions which are positioned over controls on thehearing aid for permitting the adjustment of the covered controls.Covers for behind-the-ear and eye-glass type hearing aids are disclosed.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PROTECTIVE COVER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to hearing aids, and more particularly toa protective cover for a hearing aid of the behind-the-ear type or thelike. Efforts to provide devices compensating for loss of hearing havecome a long way from the old ear horns or trumpets to the moderntransistorized hearing aids with their miniature electronics and energycells. However, these present-day hearing aids are not without theirproblems. The entry therein of body perspiration or ambient moisture,such as descending rain or dust or the like, often leads to corrosionand short-circuiting, resulting in malfunctioning of the hearing aid andcausing deterioration in its effectiveness or rendering it completelyinoperative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention is toprovide a protective covering for modern hearing aids which minimizesthe entry of body perspiration and ambient moisture or other harmfulmatter, and maximizes the efiectiveness and useful life of the aids.

Another object is to provide a protective cover for a hearing aid, whichcover is made of a stretchable, waterproof material having openings forreceiving the hearing aid and accommodating the input and outputsections thereof.

A further object is to provide a protective cover for a hearing aid ofthe behind-the-ear type, or the like, the cover having rings or beadedopenings and domelike or blister portions foraccommodation of thehearing aid and its connections and controls.

A still further object is to provide a protective cover for an eyeglassside frame type of hearing aid.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are achieved bythe provision of a protective cover made of an elastic waterproofmaterial having rings or beaded openings and domelike or arched blisterportions, the aid being received through one of the openings and fittedin the cover with the rings around the input and output of the hearingaid and the blister portions over the controls for minimizing entry ofambient moisture and body perspiration into the aid while permittingadjustment of the controls while covered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of aprotective cover for a hearing aid in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a behind-the-ear type hearing aidand the protective cover of the present invention being applied thereto.

FIG. 3 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 2 but showing the protectivecover encasing the hearing aid.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the protective cover insection.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an eyeglass side frametype of hearing aid in a modified form of protective cover, the coverbeing shown in section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, thereis shown in FIG. 1 a protective cover embodying the principles of thepresent invention and including a bladder-like hollow body member 12having rings or beaded open end portions 14 and 16 and a domelikeblister portion 18. The member 12 is made of an elastic, waterproofmaterial which is stretchable, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, over ahearing aid A of the behind-the-ear type. The hearing aid A has a body Bmounting a rotary control C, a downwardly facing microphone input I, anda spout or horn H, which is connected to the audio output 0 of the aid.The free end of the spout is adapted to have one end of a plastic soundconducting tube T (fragmentarily shown) connected thereto, the other endof the tube being connected to an earpiece (not shown) molded to fit theear of the wearer of the hearing aid.

The spout H is preferably detachably secured to the output 0 by asnap-on or threaded connection. To cover the hearing aid A, the spout isdetached therefrom, and the cover 10 is applied thereto in rolled form,as shown in FIG. 2, the beaded end portion 16 being snugly fitted aroundthe output section 0. The cover is unrolled and stretched over thehearing aid body B, the domelike blister 18 being properly positionedover the control C, and the beaded end portion 14 surrounding themicrophone I to allow the passage of acoustic vibrations or sound wavesthereto. The spout is re-attached, and squeezes the beaded portion 16against the hearing aid body for forming a very effective sea]. In thecase where the spout is fixed to or integral with the body, the beadedportion 16 fits snugly around the spout andthereby provides an effectiveseal. The tight fit of the cover minimizes the entry of moisture anddust.

It is believed that the operation of the protective cover of the presentinvention is clearly apparent, and is briefly summarized at this point.With the spout H detached and the cover 10 rolled up, the beaded portion16 is snugly fitted around the output 0 and the cover is unrolled andstretched until the hearing aid A is encased, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.The spout is reattached, and the beaded portion 16 is squeezed betweenthe spout and the body B of the hearing aid, as shown in FIG. 4. Withthe earpiece in the ear of the wearer, force is applied to the domelikeportion 18, several times if necessary, to stretch it and turn thecontrol C to desired adjustment of sound intensity. The covered aid isthen placed behind the wearers ear. Alternatively, the covered controlcan be adjusted while the aid is behind the wearers ear. If desired, thespout can be re-attached while the cover is in the form shown in FIG. 2,and the control then adjusted, after which covering of the aid iscompleted and the control further adjusted as hereinbefore described.

The protective cover of the present invention can be modified to receiveand accommodate hearing aids of other forms having additional controlsand input and output sections that are located differently from those ofthe aforesaid hearing aid A.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, in the case of an eyeglass side frametype E of hearing aid having a frame body F (fragmentarily shown)mounting a rearwardly facing input microphone M, sound output S, volumecontrol V and switch control K, there is provided a protective cover 20of suitable stretchable, waterproof material having beaded openings 22,24 and 26. The cover also has an elongated arched portion 28 anddomelike blister portions 30 and 32. The cover 20 is adapted to berolled up beginning with the beaded portion 26 and the rolled-up coveris applied to the side frame with the beaded end portion 22 ahead of thevolume control V and the cover is unrolled and fitted to properlyposition the portion 32 over the volume control. The cover is furtherunrolled to place the beaded portion around the output S, and theportion 30 over the switch control K, with the arched portion 28 overthe microphone M and the lower rear end of the side frame, and thebeaded end portion 26 around its lower rear end. The arched portion 28provides a cover for the microphone and an air passage or canal by whichsound waves reach the microphone. The canal has a downwardly facingmouth to minimize the entry of moisture or other matter. The output S isadapted to have connected thereto a plastic sound conducting tube whichin turn is connected to an earpiece, the tube sealing the beaded portion24. The control V can be adjusted before or after it is covered. SwitchK is preferably of the pressed on-off type for ease of operation whilecovered. The operation of this form of the invention in FIG. isbasically the same as that of FIGS. l4, and further description isbelieved unnecessary.

It will also be appreciated that the protective cover of the presentinvention is applicable also to hearing aids having an electrical outputwhich is conducted by insulated wiring to a receiver in the wearers ear.In such case, the wiring can terminate in a jack which is disconnectibleprior to covering the hearing aid and readily connectible thereafter,the appropriate beaded portion fitting snugly therearound.

There has thus been provided a hearing aid protective cover of simple,inexpensive construction, which is very effective in minimizing theentry of body perspiration, ambient moisture, and other harmful matterinto the aid and thereby making for a longer effective life of thehearing aid.

Although the present invention has been herein described in considerabledetail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that theinvention is not limited by such details. but may take various otherforms within the scope of the claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed and desired to beprotected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A protective cover for a hearing aid, comprising:

a hollow body member of waterproof material adapted to receive a hearingaid and having an opening through which the hearing aid is received,said opening facing downwardly in the operative position of the hearingaid for protection of the hearing aid against descending harmful matter,said member having a plurality of openings for accommodating the inputand output sections of the hearing aid, and said material beingstretchable, and said member being stretched for receipt of the hearingaid and accommodation of the sections thereof.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein said member has a dome-like portiondisposable over a control on the hearing aid.

3. A protective cover for a hearing aid, comprising:

a hollow body member of waterproof material adapted to receive a hearingaid and having an opening through which the hearing aid is received,said opening facing downwardly in the operative position of the hearingaid for protection of the hearing aid against descending harmful matter,said material being elastic and said opening having a bead therearound,said member being adapted to be rolled up around said bead and appliedin rolledup form to the hearing aid, after which it is unrolled andstretched to receive the hearing aid and accommodate the parts thereof.

4. A protective cover for a hearing aid, comprising:

a hollow body member of waterproof material adapted to receive a hearingaid and having an opening through which the hearing aid is received,said opening facing downwardly in the operative position of the hearingaid for protection of the hearing aid against descending harmful matter,said member being adapted to receive a hearing aid of the behind-the-eartype and made of an elastic waterproof material, said member havingbeaded portions encompassing the input and output sections of thehearing aid and a dome-like portion over a control of the hearing aid.

5. A protective cover for a hearing aid, comprising:

a hollow body member of waterproof material adapted to receive a hearingaid and having an opening through which the hearing aid is received,said opening facing downwardly in the operative position of the hearingaid for protection of the hearing aid against descending harmful matter,said member being adapted to protect a hearing aid of the eyeglass sideframe type and made of an elastic waterproof material, said memberhaving beaded portions encompassing the side frame and output of thehearing aid, dome-like blister portions over the controls of the hearingaid, and an elongated arched portion for passage of sound waves to theinput of the hearing aid.

1. A protective cover for a hearing aid, comprising: a hollow bodymember of waterproof material adapted to receive a hearing aid andhaving an opening through which the hearing aid is received, saidopening facing downwardly in the operative position of the hearing aidfor protection of the hearing aid against descending harmful matter,said member having a plurality of openings for accommodating the inputand output sections of the hearing aid, and said material beingstretchable, and said member being stretched for receipt of the hearingaid and accommodation of the sections thereof.
 2. The cover of claim 1,wherein said member has a dome-like portion disposable over a control onthe hearing aid.
 3. A protective cover for a hearing aid, comprising: ahollow body member of waterproof material adapted to receive a hearingaid and having an opening through which the hearing aid is received,said opening facing downwardly in the operative position of the hearingaid for protection of the hearing aid against descending harmful matter,said material being elastic and said opening having a bead therearound,said member being adapted to be rolled up around said bead and appliedin rolled-up form to the hearing aid, after which it is unrolled andstretched to receive the hearing aid and accommodate the parts thereof.4. A protective cover for a hearing aid, comprising: a hollow bodymember of waterproof material adapted to receive a hearing aid andhaving an opening through which the hearing aid is received, saidopening facing downwardly in the operative position of the hearing aidfor protection of the hearing aid against descending harmful matter,said member being adapted to receive a hearing aid of the behind-the-eartype and made of an elastic waterproof material, said member havingbeaded portions encompassing the input and output sections of thehearing aid and a dome-like portion over a control of the hearing aid.5. A protective cover for a hearing aid, comprising: a hollow bodymember of waterproof material adapted to receive a hearing aid andhaving an opening through which the hearing aid is received, saidopening facing downwardly in the operative position of the hearing aidfor protection of the hearing aid against descending harmful mattEr,said member being adapted to protect a hearing aid of the eyeglass sideframe type and made of an elastic waterproof material, said memberhaving beaded portions encompassing the side frame and output of thehearing aid, dome-like blister portions over the controls of the hearingaid, and an elongated arched portion for passage of sound waves to theinput of the hearing aid.